Briggs Healthcare acquires Selman-Holman & Associates to expand home health compliance portfolio

Posted in PRESS RELEASES

Consulting acquisition bolsters compliance solutions for home health agencies and hospices and expands Briggs’ post-acute regulatory and clinical offerings WEST DES MOINES, IOWA, Nov. 1, 2018 – Today Briggs Healthcare announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Selman-Holman & Associates. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Briggs, Selman-Holman will continue to expand…… Continue reading Briggs Healthcare acquires Selman-Holman & Associates to expand home health compliance portfolio

[breaking news] CMS issued a final rule (CMS-1689-FC) that updates the Medicare HH PPS rates & wage index for CY 2019

Posted in Home Care, INDUSTRY NEWS

Sharon Hamilton RN, MS Briggs Healthcare Clinical Consultant CMS-1689-F The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule (CMS-1689-FC) that updates the Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) rates and wage index for calendar year (CY) 2019. The final rule results in a 2.2 percent increase ($420 million) in payments to…… Continue reading [breaking news] CMS issued a final rule (CMS-1689-FC) that updates the Medicare HH PPS rates & wage index for CY 2019

Review Your Five-Star Preview Report Carefully – There is an Identified Issue

Posted in INDUSTRY NEWS, Long-Term Care1 Comment

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® On October 23, 2018, CMS posted this information for providers: Notice: Five Star Preview Reports Oct 23, 2018 The Five Star Preview Reports will be available on October 25, 2018. To access these reports, select the CASPER Reporting link located on the CMS QIES Systems…… Continue reading Review Your Five-Star Preview Report Carefully – There is an Identified Issue

Assisted Living Residents Need Stronger Protections

Posted in Assisted Living, INDUSTRY NEWS1 Comment

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® The title of this blog (and an excerpted subtitle in one of the reports) sums up the findings of two (2) significant reports this year on the status of Assisted Living. The February 2018 GAO Report examined state and Federal oversight of assisted living services…… Continue reading Assisted Living Residents Need Stronger Protections

Inaugural Release of SNF QRP Data on Nursing Home Compare Website

Posted in INDUSTRY NEWS, Long-Term Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® Today, October 24, 2018, “CMS is announcing the inaugural release of the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) quality data on Nursing Home (NH) Compare.  Section 1899B(g)(1) of the Social Security Act requires CMS to provide for the public reporting of SNF provider…… Continue reading Inaugural Release of SNF QRP Data on Nursing Home Compare Website

Updated Hand in Hand Dementia Training Series Available

Posted in Long-Term Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® CMS announced, during the SNF/LTC Open Door Forum on October 11, 2018, that the Hand in Hand Training Series for Dementia has been updated and is now available for nursing homes. The Self-Paced Online training is available online. The Downloadable Materials for Instructor-Led Training are…… Continue reading Updated Hand in Hand Dementia Training Series Available

Physician Certification and Recertification of Residents in SNF

Posted in INDUSTRY NEWS, Long-Term Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® On October 5, 2018, CMS published Transmittal 832. This transmittal is also known as Change Request 10921 and is a modification to Chapter 6, Section 6.3 (Medical Review of Certification and Recertification of Residents in SNFs) of the Medicare Program Integrity Manual (Publication 100-08). “The…… Continue reading Physician Certification and Recertification of Residents in SNF

Hurricane-Related CMS Information Releases: Hurricane Michael and Medicare Disaster Related Florida and Georgia Claims Extraordinary Circumstances Extension / Exception (ECE) due to Hurricane Florence

Posted in RESOURCES

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® CMS has just issued a revised special edition MLN Matters (SE18021) on Hurricane Michael and Medicare Disaster Related Florida and Georgia Claims. President Trump has declared a state of emergency for the states of Florida and Georgia, and the HHS Secretary declared a Public Health…… Continue reading Hurricane-Related CMS Information Releases: Hurricane Michael and Medicare Disaster Related Florida and Georgia Claims Extraordinary Circumstances Extension / Exception (ECE) due to Hurricane Florence